US 5,176,435 AGranted

Interchangeable modular furniture system

AssigneeInterchangeable Design Systems, Inc.

InventorDonald R. Pipkens

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Abstract

An interchangeable modular furniture system is disclosed as including an underlying supporting structure having at least spaced side walls and a top wall with panels independently and removably mounted to at least one of the walls of the underlying supporting structure. Preferably, independently and removably mounted panels cover at least the spaced side walls and top wall of the underlying supporting structure. Cooperative releasable fasteners are attached to each panel and associated wall for releasable attachment to each other. The underlying supporting structure further includes a base having an underlying ledge adjacent each of the spaced side walls for also supporting the removable panels relative to the spaced side walls. Within the underlying supporting structure, shelves, drawers and/or doors may be employed in order to produce various types of furniture units including credenzas, dressers and dressers/cabinets. In addition, the aforementioned structure can be usefully employed for bars, desks, nightstands and other furniture pieces. The present invention also includes a modular bed system including an underlying mattress supporting structure and a headboard removably mounted relative to the underlying mattress supporting structure or to an adjacent wall, as may be desired.

Claims28

Dependent claims

An interchangeable modular furniture system for quick repair or replacement of independently mounted panels comprising:

an underlying supporting structure having at least spaced side walls, a top wall and a base interconnected to said side walls;
said independently mounted panel means being independently and removably mounted to at least the side walls of the underlying supporting structure;
said panel means and its associated wall each having cooperating laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means for releasable engagement with one another to facilitate removal for repair or replacement of said panel means relative to its associated wall, the laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means on said panel means being similarly constructed for cooperative releasable fastening engagement and disengagement with complementary similarly constructed laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means on its associated wall, said cooperating laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means on both said panel means and its associated wall being positioned for substantially simultaneous releasable fastening engagement and disengagement when said panel means is in generally adjacent and parallel confronting position relative to its associated wall, in order to facilitate substantially simultaneous engagement and disengagement of said cooperating quick release fastening means on said panel means and its associated wall to provide quick assembly or removal for repair or replacement of the panel means relative to its associated wall;
and
said base including an underlying ledge adjacent each spaced side wall that supports each removable panel means relative to its associated side wall when the cooperative releasable fastening means are releasably engaged with one another, said underlying ledge providing underlying support beneath each said panel means to assist the cooperative releasable fastening means in holding the panel means in fixed and proximate relationship to an associated side wall.

2 more elements

An interchangeable modular furniture system comprising:

an underlying supporting structure having at least spaced side walls, a top wall and a base interconnected to said side walls;
removable panels independently mounted to and covering at least the side walls of the underlying supporting structure;
laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means for releasable engagement with one another to facilitate the removal for repair of replacement of said panel means and its associated wall each having cooperating releasable fastening means for releasable engagement with one another, said cooperating laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of releasable fastening means being positioned for substantially simultaneous releasable fastening engagement and disengagement when said panel means is in generally adjacent and parallel confronting position relative to its associated wall, in order to facilitate substantially simultaneous engagement and disengagement of said cooperating quick release fastening means on said panel means and its associated wall to provide quick removal and replacement of the panel means relative to its associated wall, the laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced quick release fastening means on said panel means being simultaneously constructed for cooperative releasable fastening engagement and disengagement with complementary similarly constructed laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of quick release fastening means on its associated wall in order to facilitate substantially simultaneously engagement and disengagement of said cooperatively quick release fastening means one each said panel means and its associated wall;
and
said base including an underlying ledge adjacent each spaced side wall that supports each removable panel relative to its associated side wall when the cooperative releasable fastening means are releasably engaged with one another, said underlying ledge providing underlying support beneath each said panel to assist the cooperative releasable fastening means in holding the panel in fixed and proximate relationship to its associated side wall.

2 more elements

An interchangeable modular furniture system comprising:

an underlying supporting structure including at least a base, opposed and spaced side walls interconnected to and extending from the base, and a top wall interconnected to and extending between the opposed spaced side walls;
a side panel independently and removably mounted to each of the opposed and spaced side walls of the underlying supporting structure;
each side panel and its associated side wall having laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of cooperating releasable fastening means for releasable engagement with one another, said cooperating releasable fastening means being positioned for substantially simultaneous releasable engagement and disengagement when each said side panel is in generally adjacent and parallel confronting position relative to its associated side wall;
a top panel independently and removably mounted to the top wall of the underlying supporting structure;
said top panel and its associated top wall having laterally and longitudinally aligned and spaced pairs of cooperating releasable fastening means for releasable engagement with one another, said cooperating releasable fastening means being positioned for substantially simultaneous releasable engagement and disengagement when said top panel is in generally adjacent and parallel confronting position relative to its associated top wall;
and
said base including an underlying ledge adjacent each spaced side wall that supports each removable panel relative to an associated side wall when the cooperating releasable fastening means on each side wall and its associated side wall are releasably engaged with one another, said underlying ledge providing underlying support beneath each side panel to assist the cooperative releasable fastening means in holding each side panel in fixed and proximate relationship to an associated side wall.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.